How to crosscut thick timber?

[york33]

Evening all
I've just happened across this forum whilst having a Google, I think I could end up spending an awful long time reading it, it's somewhat addictive

I was hoping for some advice on what device I can use to crosscut thick oak timber. circa 250x140mm

I have a bit of a taste for that timber and furniture at the moment and seem to spend an awful long time cutting it to length, then tidying up my messy cut. I've tried a couple of options:

by hand - takes ages, never especially straight
circular saw - cut once from each side and hope the two cuts meet, then invariably spend ages neatening up the ends

It's beyond the capacity of mitre saws. A bandsaw could I guess, but I'd still need to cut it once first to be able to fit the timber in the throat of the bandsaw to start with, then tidy it up. I've considered a chainsaw, but struggling to think that would be neat?

I'm not averse to spending a bit of money on something to get round this, but not large amounts. I'm hoping I'm missing something really obvious and cheap, any suggestions are very welcome.

thanks
Dave

 

[Andy Pullen]

Try a chainsaw for timber that thick

 

[Fecn]

My first thoughts would be the Dewalt Alligator, or Black & Decker Scorpion saws...

I guess it depends on how good you're looking for the cut to be.. Scorpion has a fine-tooth blade and did clean cuts for me.

 

[york33]

It doesn't have to be perfectly neat, but straight and accurate is what I need.

I've looked at those Dewalt and B&D saws but not tried them. Have you tried them with this sort of cutting, how do they cope with such a thickness?

Regarding the chainsaw, also considered, but having never used one I was concerned the cut would be really rough? Not basing that on experience, just they look a bit vicious!?

thanks for your thoughts

 

[Fecn]

Have you tried them with this sort of cutting, how do they cope with such a thickness?

Scorpion - Won't really cope with 140mm cut.

Alligator - Keep the blade well oiled (every 10 mins), and leave things to cool down once in a while and you'll make it through OK.. I cut through a ~200mm tree stump in my back garden that way, but it wasn't quick.

Chainsaw will certainly be the quickest and easiest way through - I don't have one of those though.

 

[paulm]

A chainsaw won't be accurate and straight enough in my experience.

I think you need to do an initial rough cut as you say, by any of the methods mentioned, and then tidy up on the bandsaw afterwards assuming the resulting pieces aren't too large to handle on the bandsaw.

Only other thing I can think of is again rough cutting by whatever method, and then tidying up the end by router using some kind of jig on the end piece so that the router is working on the end grain rather than from one or more of the faces (otherwise you won't have a long enough router bit if working from the faces).

Cheers, Paul.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi York33

Welcome to the forum.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[jasonB]

I've cut 8"x8" oak with a chainsaw and just had to do a little clean up with a block plane to make thisbut you need a decent and sharp chainsaw as well as some practice and the cost of safety gear.

Have also used a bosch alligator saw, while not the quickest method it does give a reasonable finish, again sharp blade is a must. The big Mafell circular saws would do it in one pass but a bit pricy if you are not doing it all day and the large crosscut saws run into several thousands of pounds.

Jason

 

[york33]

Thanks for the welcome and the replies all.

Now you've made me want, sorry need, some of those Mafell tools, a £2000 circular saw to be precise

Before the chainsaw, I think the first option to try which won't cost anything is the router+jig one. Attach a square frame to the end, then add/make a wider subbase for the router to keep it stable. I'll let you know........

As I need to do this regularly, sounds like the Alligator types are out though, that saved me some money, thankyou!

Just another thought, I can possibly get hold of a fairly old radial arm saw for not too much. Again I would need to cut from both sides, but a stronger possibility of meeting the cuts I'd hope! They usually seem to be around 80mm cut depth, can you fit thicker timber beneath them?

thanks all......

 

[Chris Knight]

I'd use a chainsaw but this would also do it and likely be cheaper and neater.

 

[9fingers]

Just another thought, I can possibly get hold of a fairly old radial arm saw for not too much. Again I would need to cut from both sides, but a stronger possibility of meeting the cuts I'd hope! They usually seem to be around 80mm cut depth, can you fit thicker timber beneath them?

A decent size RAS will do this job as the arm can be raised above the table. You could align the second cut by eye using the inevitable kerf cut in the table with the first cut.

Bob

 

[Philly]

Bandsaw? How wide are the pieces to be cut?
Philly

 

[lugo35]

a good hard point saw would do the trick and keep you fit if you have a few to do

 

[router]

if you have only a few cuts to do it seems a waste to go spending on more equipment to do the job.why not mark it up and take to your local woodyard and ask them to cut it for you .they probably not charge much...hope you get through it anyway................

 

[york33]

I need to regularly do a number of these cuts, and will continue to need to for the forseeable so am trying to avoid the handsaw option, I don't like exercise, thanks for the links though

Bandsaw - pieces too wide for the throat on a bandsaw. I could tidy up with one, but my current bandsaw is far too weedy for this.

I had a go with the router option, but was lacking inspiration for the jig.

For today I reverted to cicular saw from each side, then planing the end. It works, but it's a pain! I'm waiting on the next local auction catalogue and see if I strike lucky on a radial arm saw. That would be a very useful extra for the workshop........

cheers
Dave

PS Jasonb - really like that table

 

[jasonB]

You could always try one of these still cheaper than an automatic cross cut or upcut saw. :lol:

Jason

 

[inventor]

You could always try one of these

That reminds me that one of my neighbours has an attachment for the back of his classic tractor, a big circular saw like this run from the tractor PTO, with a little sliding table. He bought it after an unfortunate experience cutting firewood with a chainsaw. It does produce a pretty good finish, very quickly. I must remember that next time I have to cut up some big chunks! It would do the job. Find a helpful farmer?

 

[jonny boy]

Hello,
Iwould have thought that a modern bow saw with the aggressive tooth pattern would cut this with no problem. You should get relatively straight cuts with it after a little practice.

cheers,
jonathan.

 

[devonwoody]

In the old days 250 years ago, how would they have done it.

Incase you need prompting, dig a 6ft pit put the wife in situ and you take the top position, the excercise should give you both a long and healthy life,

Otherwise I reckon finding a sawyer would be the way I would go.

 

[jasonB]

I thought pit saws were mostly used for rip cutting, two man crosscut would have been the way they were cut to length.

Watch this to see how its done, 20 secs is a good time :!: and thats a single man saw

http://www.stihl-timbersports.ch/movies/2006_06.wmv

Jason